In a secluded, beautiful garden, a large circular portal suddenly appeared, shimmering with a bluish-black hue. From within its depths emerged a young man, strikingly handsome with jet-black hair, stepping into a world anew.
He glanced around, taking in his surroundings. The garden was a serene oasis, complete with a small playground. In the distance, skyscrapers stretched towards the heavens, while modern advertisements adorned the fence lines of the park. A look of joy spread across his face; he had finally arrived on modern Earth.
His expression radiated the brightest of smiles, a brilliance that even the sun seemed unable to rival. His amethyst eyes, vibrant and mesmerizing, reflected a joy and euphoria beyond mere words.
"Ten long years in another world, thanks to those damned sorcerers of the royal court,"
he muttered, his joyful countenance briefly clouded by memories of his bitter past.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he whispered softly, "Well, it seems I got a bit carried away. But it's all over now. It's time to live freely in this modern world. With the countless gold, diamonds, and other treasures I've brought back, financial freedom is finally mine."
With renewed vigor, he clenched his right fist, envisioning a life of luxury surrounded by supermodels on a plush bed. Unbeknownst to him, a mischievous grin crept across his lips.
Lucius Shadowbane, the young man of unparalleled beauty, possessed hair that was sleek and black, cut neatly—not too long, not too short. His face was a masterpiece of symmetry, surpassing even the golden ratio. His skin was as flawless as pure snow, akin to the most pristine gem.
His eyes, a stunning amethyst hue, held an unmatched allure and depth. His eyelashes were surprisingly long for a man, while his lips were a rich, inviting red, complemented by a perfectly sculpted nose.
Lucius's physique was an epitome of strength, his body a canvas of well-defined muscles. His shoulders were broad, his back wide, his chest expansive, and his waist trim.
Standing at an extraordinary height of 7 feet 7 inches, Lucius towered above most, his appearance almost otherworldly. Yet, despite his near-perfect exterior, he often pondered the true worth of his looks compared to the power offered by wealth.
With a simple thought, Lucius enveloped his left arm in a violet aura, testing his abilities. "I can still use my aura; it seems Earth lacks the constraints of other realms. Although, with my unique trait of 'Infinite Mana,' I'm never short of the energy that fuels this power, regardless of where I am," he mused, analyzing the anomaly of his current situation.
"Well, it shouldn't be a problem if I keep it concealed," he reassured himself.
Dissipating the violet aura from his arm, Lucius began to stroll along the garden's path, surrounded by flowers and towering trees. Ten minutes later, he reached the park's main gate.
His eyes sparkled once more, captivated by the bustling life of the modern city before him.
'The honking of car horns, the roar of engines, the scent of fast food, traffic lights tirelessly working, and people engrossed in their phones—this is the essence of modern life!'
With arms wide open, he silently rejoiced in his mind.
However, as he basked in his euphoria, a sudden scream pierced through the air.
"Kyaaaaaaaahh—goblin army attack!!"
Instantly, Lucius's aura perception activated, vividly sensing thousands of small, green creatures entering his awareness.
"They feel eerily similar to the magical monsters from the other world. How are they here?!"
Furrowing his brow, Lucius pondered deeply, suspecting his dimensional artifact might have inadvertently caused this. He wondered if the device, capable of tearing through space-time, was to blame.
"I don't have time to think; I need to handle the situation at hand," he decided, shaking his head to clear his thoughts.
With a light intention, he summoned an elegant, formidable sword from thin air, gripping it firmly in his left hand. Channeling large amounts of mana, Lucius enveloped his body in a pure violet aura, enhancing his speed to move like lightning through the obstacles in his path. A chaotic trail of violet light marked his passage as he arrived three meters before the goblin horde.
Without hesitation, he infused his sword with destructive aura energy. With a swift horizontal swing, he unleashed a massive, crescent-shaped wave of energy that sliced through the goblins in its path effortlessly.
Blood sprayed as the goblins' upper bodies fell to the ground, bisected by Lucius's attack. In mere moments, the entire goblin army lay vanquished, rivers of blood and flesh painting the street—a scene of horror for the onlookers.
To prevent further destruction, Lucius dissipated his crescent wave of aura after eliminating the goblins.
"Huh—still as weak as ever," he remarked nonchalantly, returning the sword to his extra-dimensional storage ring on his left hand.
"W-What was that?!"
"That was incredible! Who is he?"
"Is he a Combat Sorcerer?"
"Wow—he's so handsome!"
"Not only is he handsome, but he's also incredibly strong!"
Civilians around him aimed their phone cameras, capturing Lucius from every angle as they marveled at his power and striking appearance.
'Damn it, I didn't want to draw this much attention to myself right now!'
Lucius cursed inwardly, using his aura to levitate into the sky.
"Wow—he can fly too!" a child exclaimed in delight, witnessing Lucius ascend into the air.
Reaching an appropriate altitude, Lucius accelerated, moving at light speed towards the northern part of the city, where his family's modest home was located.
"Is he some kind of Superman?!" one young man exclaimed, astonished as Lucius disappeared in an instant, leaving a streak of violet light across the sky.
In a fraction of a nanosecond, Lucius arrived over a vast, enclosed estate, where a grand mansion stood at its center.
"What the—? Why has this neighborhood turned into an estate?!"
Lucius found himself entangled in bewilderment, the stark contrast between his expectations and reality unsettling his very core. Decades ago, this area was a quaint, verdant neighborhood, home to his family's modest abode, now replaced by the opulence of a grand mansion. His mind raced with questions. What had transpired here? The curiosity gnawed at him incessantly.
"I ought to inquire someone well-versed in the local happenings," he mused, as he scanned his surroundings with intent eyes.
To his left, strolling amidst the vibrant blooms in the mansion's garden, was a blonde-haired maid. Without hesitation, Lucius descended swiftly, landing gracefully beside her.
"Who—who goes there?!" Her initial reaction was one of dismay, her gaze turning sharply towards the unexpected visitor.
The maid's expression, initially marred by irritation, swiftly morphed into one of shock, as if she had encountered an apparition.
"Master—young master, is that truly you?!" she stammered, disbelief etched into her features.
Lucius instinctively turned to look behind him, perplexed, seeing no one else. Realizing her intent, he pointed to himself, his index finger questioning whether he was indeed the young master she referred to.
Her vigorous nod confirmed his suspicions, her eyes alight with a startling recognition.
The sincerity in her demeanor dispelled his doubts, yet a new seed of uncertainty took root within him. When had he become a "young master"?
"Ah—I must have forgotten," she began, her voice steadying, "that you were abruptly summoned to another dimension for a decade. It stands to reason, then, that you remain unaware of the events that unfolded on Earth during your absence."
"What?" Lucius's voice trembled with disbelief, his eyes widening in astonishment.
"How do you know this?" He instinctively grasped her shoulders, his grip unintentionally firm, eliciting a wince of pain from her.
His curiosity, now a fierce storm, imbued his voice with a long-forgotten assertiveness. Yet recognizing his excessive force, he immediately softened his grip.
"My apologies," he murmured, his voice steeped in contrition.
"It is of no consequence, young master. Your confusion is entirely understandable," she assured him with a gentle smile. "I am Loretta, a senior maid of the Shadowbane family."
Loretta bowed deeply, her introduction marked by grace and respect.
She was a woman in her thirties, exuding an aura of softness and elegance. Her long, straight blonde hair cascaded down her back, and her sapphire-blue eyes held a calming, yet dangerously deep oceanic hue. With a statuesque height of approximately 179 cm (or 5 feet 10.5 inches), her figure was that of an antique hourglass, her proportions impeccable; a 34DD bust, a slender waist, and a taut, rounded posterior.
As Loretta elucidated the recent history, Lucius began to grasp the transformations that had befallen Earth and the peculiar awareness people had of his interdimensional journey.
"I had no inkling," Lucius pondered aloud, "that my mothers were ancient sorceresses, the supreme leaders of the most illustrious wizarding lineage. They foresaw my departure, yet why did they shroud these truths from me?"
His brow furrowed as he delved deeper into his thoughts, striving to comprehend the intricate tapestry of events.
However, his contemplations were abruptly interrupted by the sight of a woman whose presence was unmistakably familiar.
"Mother!" he exclaimed, his voice a mixture of longing and recognition.